Terroir Parisien, owned by well regarded local chef Yannick Alléno who earned three Michelin stars for his restaurant Le Meurice, is all about serving traditional Parisien dishes using the best local produce.

Walking in, there’s a huge floor to ceiling blackboard on the right and straight in front is a large central bar, surround by bar stools. We were early for a Parisien dinner, about 8.15pm on a Tuesday, however, the place quickly filled up and soon had patrons waiting. One review we had read said that sitting at the bar offered a great view of the kitchen and the staff at work. We opted to sit there.  Oozy cheeses and potted desserts were on display in the glass cabinet at the end, near where we were sitting.

My French onion soup starter was to die for. The glossy dark brown broth was hearty yet delicate. It contained chunks of cheese, crunchy croutons and just enough sliced onion. I could eat that every single day. It was stunning.

French onion soup

Mackerel was Zorba’s starter and he loved it. It’s not my favourite fish, but the Greek loves his oily fish.

Mackerel

Monkfish with bacon, potatoes and mushrooms for mains was also a delight to eat.  Juicy, well cooked monkfish with a lovely fish broth and perfectly cooked vegetables.

Monkfish

Zorba, who’s been craving stew (beef bourguignon in particular) ordered the lamb stew, and we absolutely delighted he did. I was lucky to get a taste. It was hearty and full of vegetables. It came served in a little casserole pot for Zorba to serve himself. I thought it was lovely, he thought it was unnecessary.

Our wine was a real highlight. The Burgogne Pinot Noir was sensibly priced at 28 Euro. It was smooth with red current tones. No harsh tannins, not dry, just very moorish. Our total bill for two courses each, wine, and sparkling water came to 104 Euro, about A$165.

The service was friendly and attentive. We didn’t feel ignored or like we were painful tourists like we have in other French restaurants. I complimented the chef on my way out and got a huge happy smile in return.

We chose not to have dessert as we had to walk past a Grom gelateria to get back to our hotel and that would be our dessert.

Verdict:  9.5/10 Great food, friendly service, sensibly priced menu and wines, buzzing atmosphere. This was our most memorable meal in Paris.

FACT FILE

Terroir Parisien – Maison De La Mutualité 
20 r. St-Victor 75005 Paris 05
Tel: +33144315454